THE former Rangers kid netted with just four minutes left of extra time to secure Rovers' first cup success in 20 years and leave Rangers fans fuming.

Share

Get weekly news by email

SNS Group

Raith Rovers striker John Baird celebrates after scoring the winner in the Ramsdens Cup Final

RAITH ROVERS completed their Old Firm cup double with a dramatic, extra-time victory in the Ramsdens Cup Final as John Baird struck four minutes from the end to add to his club’s Coca Cola Cup success against Celtic in 1994.

Rangers fans vented their frustration, with boss Ally McCoist firmly in their firing line, as they piled from Easter Road disgusted at the ignominy of this defeat, no matter the dark places their club have found themselves in the last two years.

This is only the second time this season Rangers have lost and the first time they have failed to score a goal but to suggest that makes for a vintage campaign is delusional. On this form, you fear for Rangers in the Scottish Cup semi-final.

There were barely 500 Gers fans left inside the ground by the time Lee McCulloch led his side up for their losers’ medals and there were as many booing as giving a polite handclap.

It might just be as well for McCoist his club is in turmoil off the park because in normal circumstances he might not survive this defeat. Even now, his medium- term future is beginning to look forlorn, even if he does see it through till the end of the season.

This game may have been broadcast live in Gaelic on BBC Alba, but you didn’t need to be Angus Og to know it was pitiful stuff from the League One champs.

Rangers manufactured enough chances to win – more often than not from set pieces – and Raith keeper Lee Robinson pulled off four top-drawer saves, while Bilel Mohsni had two shocking misses.

SNS Group

Bilel Moshni vents his frustration after missing from two yards out

Overall, however, Rangers were far too ponderous in possession, lacked imagination and played at a tempo that made it too easy for Rovers to drop back and defend at the edge of their own area.

Central defender Dougie Hill was named man of the match and that told its own story as he stood tall and mopped up all Rangers threw his way, which was not very much, not very often. Too much of the Rangers play was speculative and one dimensional, without guile, craft or cutting edge and they were hoisted by their own petard when Richard Foster attempted to start a move with another long punt.

The ball dropped straight to Raith who moved it down the inside right channel and Mohsni slipped under pressure from sub Greig Spence who took advantage when McCulloch and Foster then got in a fankle.

His shot was beaten away by Cammy Bell, who had next to nothing to do before then, but it fell to Baird, a former Rangers boys club player, and he slammed into the net from 10 yards. The Rovers bench erupted in joy and suddenly green seats were visible around Easter Road as many of the 17,000 Rangers fans headed for the exits, embarrassment added to the agony at all their club has become.

The joy of Helicopter Sunday in 2005, when a collapse from Celtic at Motherwell allowed them to win the SPL title at this very venue, now seems a long, long time ago.

Once upon a time if you cut Rangers players in half they would bleed blue but this current lot are stamped bang average.

They have still been hand-picked on executive salaries to take the club where it needs to be and although they will be in the Championship next season they are doing nothing to suggest they are good enough to hang around for the journey back to the top.

The manager, of course, must accept responsibility for that and it will have hurt McCoist to hear the venomous ire that was fired in his direction. He may not see the journey through either.

McCoist has experienced it in the past as a player but as a boss he is now losing his supporters, however much they acknowledge and respect all he has done for the club off the field.

SNS/Craig Williamson

Dejection for Rangers manager Ally McCoist

As always, managers are only as good as their players and these powder-puff performers let him down. They needed to get off to a flier, to settle the nerves of both players and fans.

They failed to do so, even if they won a corner in the first minute to post notice of their intentions. It came to nothing but they really should have been a goal to the good on 11 minutes when Mohsni stole behind Paul Watson to connect with a Fraser Aird free-kick.

The French defender had a free header from eight yards and yet somehow managed to nod over.

Moments earlier, former Gers kid Robinson did brilliantly to save an Ian Black volley from 25 yards after decent link-up play between Steven Smith and Jon Daly.

He came to his side’s rescue again shortly before the break when Smith curled a 30-yard free-kick over the wall, only for the keeper to dive and push it clear.

He performed heroics once more in the second half when he blocked a Lee Wallace effort and also pushed a Nicky Clark effort past the post on 83 minutes as Gers pushed for a winner.

They should have had it too but Mohsni somehow screwed a header over the top from point blank range.

Nicky Law cracked a shot off the post in extra time as a growing sense of foreboding grew around the Rangers support.

Raith’s efforts at goal in 120 minutes were few and far between, although Callum Booth and Calum Elliot both passed up good chances in a second half in which six players were booked in just 14 minutes.

It all got rather tetchy and bad tempered. Those emotions are going to linger at Ibrox for many weeks.